Your eyes open slowly letting light shine through, blinking a few times to shake the tiredness that had formed on your eyelids. Your vision began to focus coming into view, to find yourself looking at the room sideways. Realizing you were laying down, so you began to push yourself upright. Feeling a slight throbbing in your head, you rub your temples to try to sooth it. All while questioning where you were, your vision was still forming your surroundings, when a gentle touch rested upon your shoulder.
A touch you hadn't felt in so long, on you've missed beyond anything. It was always so affectionate and loving. And right after the touch came a voice...
"Are you rested, Hime?"
Master Splinter asks kneeling down in front of you, with a warm smile on. Your eyes went wide confused, shocked and happy. Moving his paw to the side the side of your face, stroking your cheek gently. Overwhelmed with so much emotions, your body began to shake. A tearful smile came to your face, your eyes squint as if tears came down, doing the motion with your hands like you were wiping away tears that didn't produce.
Your bottom lip trembled as you try to formulate your words, open and closing your mouth. Splinter's eyes soften watching you trying to figure out what to say.
"Always so emotional, Hime."he teases you. Bringing you into an embrace, calming you. He felt your head rest upon him, and heard your silent whimpers of joy."I have missed you as well, Hime."
"...Master...Splinter."you finally say. The two of you stayed like that for a few more minutes, but to you it seem like forever."I'm home."
Finally, finally back home. Back with everyone, your father, sister, the guys and your mutant friends. Back in New York City, it had to be true. You being able to hug Splinter like this, there was no other explanation. He was the only one who hugged you like this, ever since you first came online/alive. His hugs always provided you with feeling secured and loved. Along the same lines as your father, though his were a different. Your father's hug told you how much he too loved you and how precious you have been to him. Thinking of your father and realizing you where back home, you spring up at the thought almost headbutting Splinter. Who chuckles at your sudden energy burst.
Just to make sure, you look around the area you both where in, yep this was the dojo. The traditional Japanese decor, with the large tree int he center of the room under a skylight grate. The green folding partitions, the ninja arsenal, 13 rugs, and Splinter's personal shrine. Yep, you where home. Everything you remember and knew. But just to be sure, you sprint to the main entrance of the dojo, sliding the doors open finding the concrete ledge above the "mote"in the living room/common area. To your left there was the kitchen not far away. Everything was here and present, nothing was out of place. The main area and biggest area in the whole lair, there was the Atomic Robo-X arcade machine, the sitting area with cushions, skylight overhead, the pinball machine of Space Heroes Leo's favorite show, the spiral staircase, tabletop hockey arcade machine, television that provided the entertainment on movie nights, tire swing that you and Mikey share and the training dummy Raph's favorite item in the room. Such a relief, you where beyond happy to see everything. So many memories came, filling you up. Remembering as many as you could, even with this headache that seem to increase, but you paid it no mind. Nothing was going to take away your joy.
"Leonardo! Raphael! Donatello! Michelangelo ."you began to call for each of the brothers, looking everywhere for them. But found no trace.
Splinter calmly calls to you."Hime." Watching you search.
"Everyone, please I am home. I am back. I am here!"you look in the kitchen but found no one. So you went towards Donnie's lab, popping your head in."Donatello!"
"Hime."
"Donatello? Hmmmm...Very strange..."you turn around and goes towards the brother's room."Leonardo! Raphael!"you knock on the door."Leonardo? Raphael?"
"Hime."Splinter finally gets your attention.
"Master Splinter, where is everyone?"you ponder, Splinter stayed unusually quiet. The desolation of his silence you didn't pay much attention to."Perhaps, they must be top side...Or maybe they went to get sister. Yes, that's right."
"Hime. You mus-"Splinter tries to get you listen and stop, but you took off.
It didn't take you long to reach topside, coming through one of the manholes. Quietly putting ti back so no one would hear, you take to the sky to get a better look of the city. Your home. The smells where there, the cool night sky, the many buildings causing it to look like a maze from a birds eye view. Doing a quick look, you fly towards your home, all the while not paying attention to Splinter who kept calling you, and the stinging headache that made you fringe a bit. Luckily it was night, so flying home was easy, never where you allowed to it during the day. Your father didn't want you to nor did the others as it would draw to much attention. You couldn't wait to see your family, and hopefully find the others. Tell them of this strange you dream you had, being in some other world. A world of ninjas, who could do very interesting things, with chakra. Meeting the many people from that world. The people in your dream, where very kind to you and friendly. As well pleasant, their names where also interesting to you. What seem like months being that world, had to be nothing but a long dream. You remember Donnie telling you, something one can have dreams like such and believe they have been transported to some other place. Which was what your mind had done. You must have been rather tired, there as just no way you went to some world like that. And logically, your mind needed to rest resulting in which your mind made up a place for you to escape to. A fantasy, to ease it. And what a fantasy, it would make a for a wonderful story one you would have to make sure to remember when school comes around.
Reaching home, you come in announcing your presence to find it just as empty as the turtle's home. Everything was here, everything in place. The kitchen, remembering you had cleaned it before earlier. You go to the fridge opening it, to find the sandwiches you had made for the picnic April told you that was planned to have with the others the next evening. Asking you to make the food. Casey had managed to find a place to have, it was going to be in the day. Which was good. It was an old park, hidden off the grid from the city in Central Park. The sandwiches were there, along with the other dishes you had.
This was a good sign...leaving the kitchen you walk through your home. The living room where you and your family would spend the time together doing fun things, playing games, you and April drinking home made cider. The dinning area was there too. The pictures of your family hung on the wall, of course most of them with April and your father. This was all before you came, even one with her mother. Though your father, Kirby did start getting some pictures of you in them. His most favorite one sat on the top of the television. You gravitate towards it, picking up the frame, of you, April and your father. He stood behind you and April. Smiling a upon each of your shoulders. April had her arm around your shoulders pulling you close, she was smiling too. And you leaning into your sister's hug. Smiling as well. This was taken about a month after you came to live with them. You did stand out from them, your skin complexion different from theirs. They had fair and you had bronze. Both your relatives had orange hair with blue eyes, while you had pink hair, rose pink from what April told you. And golden-yellow eyes. True, your physical characteristics did not match anywhere close to you family. But that didn't mean anything to them. Kirby told you over and over again, you where his daughter and April's sister. You where of their family, that was all that mattered. They loved anyway. Family was family, as Master Splinter would say.
Still looking at the picture, warmed you. Placing the picture down, you remember your father liked to be in his room doing work and April too. So go to their rooms, to find them empty.
"Papa. April."you search for them."Papa? April? Where are you?"
There seem to be no trace of them, not at all. You couldn't sense them, which was strange. Normally you could sense April and she could with you. But there was just no reading. Checking their rooms again, coming out to feel someone else's presence turning to look finding Master Splinter standing there. This was a surprise, he never came out in view like this, unless it was important. Still...Hurrying over to him out of concern for him.
"Master Splinter, you should not be out in the open."you tell him, looking around to see if anyone had spotted him from below outside. Quickly you go and close the blinds and double check to make sure the door was locked and windows. Making sure you took every precaution, once done you walk back over to him. Still wondering where your family might be, as well your friends. Splinter saw your wide eye look of confusion, it was so innocent yet sad. His eyes pain upon having to tell you.
Again just to be sure you go towards your sister room, when Splinter grabs hold of your arm. Stopping you. You turn around to him with the silent lingering question in your eyes. Trying to understand while at the same time stuck between the what could be the actual truth.
Your mind searches for the right words to say."This is very...strange...Papa and my sister are not home. Neither where Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello, and Michelangelo. Have they gone to the park already? I thought the time was for the tomorrow? Master Splinter, I do not understand, why no one is home?"
The sound of your words came out steady but Splinter could hear the slight fear in them. Fear of something you didn't no couldn't understand. Which slowly began to rise in your eyes with every second...The pain, that throbbing headache pain came back again. This time much stronger than before and you could not ignore it. Grabbing your head, you almost fall over but Splinter managed to catch you just in time.
The pounding kept coming and coming, like a sledge hammer almost repeatedly hitting a large gong. With each throb of pain, images flashed in your mind. And with each image came unimaginable pain. Images or memories, whatever they where, you saw your life in New York with everyone you loved. Next images or memories with your time in Naruto's world. Both good and bad, mixing and stitching together with the New York ones. Your head felt like it was splitting apart while mending together. Like something was putting it back together piece by piece, like before...before when the Kraang made you. Or when they...the one with the red eyes and Shredder had reprogrammed you. Ripping your mind, cutting things off breaking. Your body was durable but your mind...it had its limits. If the force was powerful enough.
Gripping your head fully now, trying to shake the pain. Crying and screaming out for it to stop, you didn't want to go through this again...not again anything but that...whimpering in pain, begging for it stop. All Master Splinter could do was just hold you and offer you as much comfort as he could. His eyes watching you suffer from this pain, he seemingly had no remedy for.
"Hime...Hime...listen to me..."his voice calm and soothing yet it seem faded. Or it was fading from your hearing.
Still whimpering you struggle to look at him."M-Master...S-Splinter...i-i...i-it hurts...Ahhhh!"Screaming bloody murder, the memories zapping like electricity in your mind. Each jolt a painful one, you weren't sure how much you could endure this. Your face twisting in pain and agony, grip tightens on Splinter. Heavily painting."M-Master..."
He heard your pleads and cry for help, wanting him to do something. To help you understand what was happening and going on...his brown eyes look deeply into yours. Answering every single question you where afraid to asks, and conforming everything you feared to be true. Though it pained him, he did his best to offer you the comfort that you needed. Regret filled those eyes of his, as they weighed heavily with apologizes while at the same time remaining strong. Your eyes though begged him that it wasn't the truth. But, they remained unchanged...as your body began to shake like a leaf and still jolting from each zap in your mind. He carefully and gently scoops you up in his arms, cradling you protectively rocking gently. Holding you tight a single tear began to form in the corner of his eye. He did his best not let it fall but it did, and it felt so real. Curled up close to his chest, you whimper deeply burying your face further to hear his heartbeat. So soothing and calm, just like always. His scent seemingly remained the same, old and wise. Reminding you of a strong oak tree.
The soothing stroke of his paw upon the top of your head somewhat calmed you. But didn't stop the pain, though made it somewhat bearable knowing he was here.
You hear him inhale deeply, and exhale slowly. He brings his head closer to your ear. And whispers something, the last words you would ever hear from him. With the lat word leaving his mouth, he touches his forehead with yours."Be good. Be strong. Hime."He smiles warmly down at you, his eyes reflect pride and joy and love. While still reminding you stay strong.
With his last look, he slowly began to fade away, you try to call out to him but your voice some how became horse and white blinding light emitting out nowhere. Encasing everything you knew, that began to fade away as it became swallowed up by it. Your eyes filled with sorrow and pain, you didn't want this to happen. You wanted to stay here, even if it did feel empty. It was still home. This was all you had. You just needed something, something to take, before you had to leave...The picture, the picture of your family. Move your eyes the best you could in the direction of the television, you take one last long look at the picture. At your family.
"...Papa...April..."
The last words you exit your mouth, your last breath before the light completely engulfed you and the pain...the pain finally stopped.